NBC Shifts ‘Smash’ to Saturday Nights

After a decent showing with "The Voice" as a lead-in last season, "Smash" has suffered in the ratings with its latest run

NBC is moving its struggling musical series "Smash" to Saturday nights at 9 p.m. starting April 6, the network said Wednesday.

The shift was among a number of scheduling changes that NBC announced. And NBC said that the show will air its entire 17-episode season.

Even so, the move is not a good sign for the series, which started out strong with its first season, when it had "The Voice" as a lead-in, but has struggled since returning for its second season last month.

For its season premiere on Feb. 5, "Smash" drew an anemic 1.1 rating/3 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic — its lowest-rated episode at that date, and down 71 percent from the show's series premiere. It was also down 39 percent from its May 14 season finale.

Things got worse for the show — which has been airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m.  — from there, with the show dropping to a new low of 0.7/2 on March 5, though it rebounded somewhat in its most recent airing on Tuesday.

The series underwent an upheaval after its first season, with the departure of creator Theresa Rebeck and a number of cast members. "Gossip Girl" showrunner Josh Safran was brought in to replace Rebeck, and the cast swelled to monumental proportions with guests stars and new regulars for its second season.

NBC's new matchmaking reality show, "Ready for Love," will begin airing in the Tuesdays at 9 timeslot on April 9, setting the series up in a plum position preceding "The Voice," which returns later this month.

"Go On," which had been airing before "Smash" on Tuesdays at 9, will be given a tryout in the Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. timeslot, following long-running but on-the-way-out sitcom "The Office." "Go On" will air its final two episodes of the season in that slot beginning April 4.

Here is NBC's full list of scheduling changes:

READY FOR LOVE

    Will now air Tuesdays, beginning April 9 (9-11 p.m. ET) following “The Voice.”

CELEBRITY APPRENTICE

    Beginning April 14 (9-11 p.m ET) will be expanded to two hours through the end of May.

THE VOICE

    Will air encore episodes on Sunday, March 31 and Sunday, April 7 (7-10 p.m. ET), leading into original episodes of “The Celebrity Apprentice” (10-11 p.m. ET)

GO ON

    Moves to Thursdays on April 4 and April 11, which will be the season’s final episode. Both episodes will air at 9:30-10 p.m. ET following “The Office.”

THE NEW NORMAL

    One-hour season finale on Tuesday, April 2 (9-10 p.m. ET) following “The Voice.”

SMASH

    Moves to Saturdays at 9 p.m. beginning April 6 and will air its entire season of 17 episodes.

WHITNEY

Will have a one-hour season finale on Wednesday, March 27 (8-9 p.m. ET).

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